Mervin Neis was born in Hope, KS, January 27, 1941. His early years were spent in Hope, attending school until the family moved to Abilene, KS when his father was elected Dickinson County sheriff. Neis attended Abilene High School playing and being pretty good at football. He graduated and attended college in Manhattan for a year and half, then moving to CA  for a time. Neis returned to Hope, KS to take over the running of his father's farm until he entered the Army on August of 1941 in Ft. Leavenworth, KS. He had training in Colorado, Oklahoma, and California. When the attack on Pearl Harbor happen, Neis was stationed in the South Pacific and he spent his time as a radio technician on one of the big bombers. He participated in many missions spotting and reporting on the Japanese positions. After the war, Neis settled in Los Angeles CA working at the police department, a Sergeant upon retirement.